Isuke-sama's daily misadventures
by HolyBhunivelze
Summary: "Come on, Isuke-sama, it'll be fun!" Yet, strangely, Isuke isn't having any fun. Being stuck in those unbearable situations... it's all Haruki's fault!
1. Pocky Game

Inukai Isuke had never been embarrassed in her life. As a professional assassin, she would do the job her way without caring for other's opinion or advices, maybe except from her Mama. She was the one who would make people ashamed of themselves, with some crude remarks and nasty jokes.

Yet, in that very moment, Isuke was really embarrassed. The reason of her discomfort was only ten centimetres away from her face and had taken the form of a girl's face, holding the end of a Pocky in her mouth. And Isuke was holding the other end.

Yes. She, Inukai Isuke, one of the most ruthless murderers on Earth, was currently playing the Pocky Game with one of her classmates.

But not just any classmate.

Isuke glanced at the girl with whom she was playing this so-called 'game'. She had long red hair tied in a ponytail and some bangs with hairclips on it. Her golden eyes which could sometimes sparkle with joy, mostly when she was eating, were fixed on Isuke's face. She was giving her signature grin, which was somewhat comical as she managed to it with the end of a Pocky in her mouth, and without breaking it.

She was an idiot, so caring, compassionate and selfless that Isuke always wondered how she had managed to end up in a class full of assassins.

Her roommate, Sagae Haruki.

Even now, stuck in this unbearable situation, Haruki was still smiling in a way Isuke would have described as childish and dumb.

But, even if she hated to acknowledge it, it could have been worse. What if Isuke had to 'play' with the frigid class rep or the scissor psycho? At least, Haruki's face wasn't THAT ugly.

She was rather pleasant to watch, with that toned body of her. And pink really looked good on her. And when she was smiling during their conversations, she was rather cute...

Isuke mentally scolded herself for letting her thoughts wander pointlessly.

 _What am I even thinking? Haruki, cute? A poor, Pocky-obsessed idiot like her, without any fashion sense? There must be something wrong with me 3. It's because of this stupid game! Ahh, now Isuke is really pissed off 3!_

Looking away from Haruki's eyes, Isuke stared at the culprits of this ludicrous event. On the other side of the class, a girl with pink hair was barely suppressing her excitement. She looked at the improbable duo with stars in her eyes. A boyish girl with blue hair was standing next to her. She was cracking a rather satisfied and somewhat smug smile instead of her usual expressionless face.

 _The overly cheerful one and the blue tsundere. Such a pitiful sight, Isuke should have killed them both 3. Maybe now is still the time. But I'm sure that little Miss Virgin over there will react before I can grab my weapon. Just to think I could be sleeping right now... It's all Haruki's fault!_

For what had to be the hundredth time, the pink-haired assassin recalled how she had been dragged into this mess.

 _A few minutes earlier..._

"Yep, the last test was hard! Man, I should really have read Sensei's book, Otoya said that all the answers were in it!"

"Um... Haruki-san, I don't think it was that easy. Takechi-san is really good in biology, so maybe she just had to read it once to understand everything. Haru has tried too but some questions were really difficult, so... "

The redhead smiled and tried to cheer up her classmate. She quickly glanced at the sleeping pink-haired girl in front of her. Said girl who wasn't as asleep as others thought.

Yes, Isuke mainly spent her time in class sleeping over her desk but sometimes she was just drowsy and too bothered to open her eyes. This mostly occurred when Haruki was talking.

Isuke found herself listening to the redhead's playful voice and it somewhat soothed her. In the same time, she wondered if Haruki was going to leak some information about her.

Not as if she cared, of course. But Isuke didn't know much about that poor Pocky-eater. And it was irritating.

After all, Haruki was _her_ roommate.

So Isuke had to be sure that she wouldn't mess up and said thoughtless things. It already happened all too often.

"Haru asked Tokaku-san for some advice. And, um, it turned out that she has some peculiar way to study..."

"Simple. Whenever you have a bad mark on a subject you should have revised, you just force yourself not to do something you like. It's a punishment."

Great, now blue tsundere was joining the chat as well. Isuke thought that this was probably the most nonsensical working method she ever heard. Even if, about school, she wasn't the one to talk. What would someone as Isuke do in a class, anyway?

"Since Ichinose asked my help, I've begun to study with her," Tokaku added.

"So does that mean you punish her when she has bad grades?" Haruki questioned, somewhat sceptical.

"It's not really restrictive. She's just forbidden to eat melon bread for two days."

"That's too harsh Azuma!"

 _And now, you're gonna speak about that garbage you poor people are calling food._

"I, for sure, wouldn't last a day without some Pocky!"

 _See? Isuke knows you by heart. Actually, Isuke should go and hide all of your precious Pocky to see if your body has become that dependent to that chocolate-filled thing. It could be funny._

Curiously, just thinking about Haruki being in pain because of her made all of Isuke's fun disappear.

 _That's...not right_ , Isuke surprisingly concluded.

Making Haruki suffer for her selfish pleasure wasn't right. But it had never stopped Isuke before. When she was bothered or angry, she didn't hesitate to wear down others. Actually, she was proud of her ability to make people cry with a few abrasive comments.

But with Haruki, it didn't feel right. And she couldn't understand why.

 _Except Papa and Mama, since when do I care for someone else's peace of mind?_

The pink-haired assassin didn't question her feelings further, as Haruki's cheerful voice brought her back in reality.

"So it's like taking a forfeit. Haru-chan, you should defend yourself. Azuma forbid you to eat melon bread because of the biology test, right? For her next bad grade, why won't you deprive her of curry?"

Tension rose.

Even with her eyes closed, Isuke could tell that Tokaku had frozen in place.

 _Nice one Haruki 3. Isuke wouldn't have done it better herself._

Tokaku'reply was totally unexpected and, to Isuke, didn't make any sense.

"Okay. But I think the worst in the class should get one too."

Isuke suddenly had the unpleasant feeling of three pairs of eyes falling on her back.

"Tokaku-san, you mean... a forfeit?" Haru hesitantly asked.

"Yes. Have you ever seen her marks? That can only be good for her. "

Isuke couldn't stand more.

"Who do you think you are, trying to force this ridiculous 'way to improve your grades' onto Isuke? Isuke's Mama? Because you'd make a pitiful fake 3. Besides, there's no way that Mama would ever force Isuke to do something so useless."

Tokaku looked unimpressed.

"I saw your copy. Writing only your name won't help you to get better. Were you listening from the beginning?"

"And what if I was? Your voice was so unbearably annoying it woke me out 3."

The two girls glared at each other, clearly ready to start a fight in the middle of the class.

"Uwaaa, Tokaku-san, please stop! You shouldn't fight your classmates, you know!"

"Hey Isuke-sama, calm down! Not need to make such a fuss, she only cracked a joke, right?"

Haruki glanced at Tokaku, waiting for her approval.

"I was serious. And I think she deserves it."

"Not helping, Azuma..." Haruki mumbled.

"Get off my way, you idiot! I think little Azuma needs a punishment... maybe a good spanking 3."

Haruki scratched the back of her head and awkwardly laughed. Then her face lit up.

"Heeey, I~su~ke-sa~ma ! You don't want a forfeit from Azuma, I got that. But I have an idea..." Haruki dramatically trailed off.

"What? Isuke isn't in the mood to listen to one of your—"

"Why don't we play a game instead? Y'know, it'll be cool. Just have to find the right one..."

"The Pocky game."

Everyone stared at Tokaku, baffled.

They weren't ready for that. The cold and impassive assassin inwardly chuckled.

Seeing both Isuke, Haruki and Haru mouths agape wasn't a common sight. Tokaku was quite satisfied of herself.

Of course, for nothing in the world would she acknowledge that it was actually thanks to Kaiba that she knew the game. He harassed her until she has learnt how to play. It would help her improve her human-relationship skills, he said.

Haruki was the first to recover from the shock.

"Actually, it's not that bad of an idea. Come on, Isuke-sama, let's do this !"

" _What ?_ No way! Why would Isuke—"

"Don't worry. It's not as if it will kill you," Tokaku helpfully added.

"Wait ! Why do you think I—"

"Isuke-sama, if you want, you'll only have one round with me."

"So annoying..."

Isuke plastered a sweet venomous smile.

"I don't recall ever joining that lame project of yours. Do you often hear voices? Maybe you should consult a doctor. Not sure that you poor people could afford it though 3."

Like that, even a dumb idiot like Haruki would understand and leave her alone. That was what Isuke was thinking until Haruki gave her another bright smile.

"Why are you so stiff, Isuke-sama ? It's just a game."

The reply didn't come.

The redhead suddenly realized that she may had gone too far. The beautiful girl wasn't moving a finger, her face blank as she stared at her classmates. Her former smile was long gone and Haruki couldn't ready anything in her eyes. In a way, it was more intimidating than her usual, rude demeanor.

"Hey, Isuke-sama, don't... get mad at me, okay? I'm sorry, I have been bothering you all this time. I'm really...really sorry."

There was a long pause, then Isuke sighed.

"I thought I had told you over and over to stop apologizing to me. It's really irritating," Isuke replied.

She then muttered, in a so low-pitched voice that only Haruki could hear.

"And I'm not mad at you..."

Haruki's eyes widened. At this instant, the pink-haired girl was looking at her, with a softness she hadn't thought the assassin was capable of.

But a second later, Isuke regained her usual composure.

"Don't get your hopes up too quickly. No matter how much you plead me, I won't play this ridiculous game!"

 _Present time..._

In the end, she had lasted ten minutes.

And knowing that the mere sight of Haruki was enough to make her resolve crumble, it was going to be a record.

Still, she had thought she could avoid the game with crude remarks and spiteful jokes until Nio barged in, as bubbly as ever, and started to chirp with Haru, much to Tokaku's annoyance.

Upon learning that Isuke stubbornly refused to play the stupid game, she had walked without a word in front of her and _smiled_.

Not the kind type of smile. Isuke was positively sure that if sharks could smile, they would look just the same as Nio.

She wasn't one to be easily scared. But, truth to be told, Isuke didn't ever want to see that grin again. Or, at least, she had to be far, far away from the blonde.

Right after the scare she got from Nio, it had been Haruki's turn to look at her. And for some reason unknown to Isuke, her puppy-dog eyes, filled with expectation and hope, had managed to drain all her willpower.

Before she could understand what was happening, Isuke found herself in front of Haruki, who was smiling so brightly it eased her mind for a second. Then, the redhead all but forced a Pocky in her mouth, and her thoughts were interrupted as if someone had turned a switch off.

What was she going to do now?

Nio and Haru had tried to give her some advices, but she had bluntly brushed them aside.

Isuke focused her thoughts on the chocolate stick, blatantly ignoring Haruki's grin.

 _Actually, that stupid game is pretty simple. You lose if you break the stick. But if it's a tie, then it means I would be k-kissing her... No, that won't happen! If that idiot gets too close to Isuke, just from a millimetre, I swear I'll break that stick. It doesn't matter to me if their fun gets ruined, after all 3._

Isuke ate a tiny bite of the stick and finally regained her composure. It was going to be alright. She felt the light blush present on her cheeks since the beginning of this mess slowly fading away. Now that she was given time to think, Isuke knew she was able to stay collected.

Her newly-born confidence shattered in a flash when Haruki chomped a huge bite of the stick, closing the distance between them far too quickly.

 _Wha-what the heck? You're not supposed to eat it in one go, you moron!_

Isuke's blush came back times ten, turning her face in a shade of crimson that perfectly matched her roommate's hair.

 _N-not good... I need to calm down, otherwise..._

Otherwise, what? Isuke wasn't even sure why her cheeks were burning and her heart pounding wildly in her chest. All she knew was that it had to do with Haruki's sudden proximity.

And since the object of her turmoil was practically under her nose, it was only harder and harder for her to think clearly.

The game resumed. But each time Isuke tried to slow down by taking a small piece of the stick, Haruki happily chewed on another of her large bites.

And then, the fateful moment finally came.

The Pocky had been reduced to a tiny shard, now barely connecting the girls' mouths.

 _I know I should have quit right at the beginning! As we are now, we could really end up kissing..._ Isuke rolled her eyes in disbelief.

Just considering the fact that she could kiss her...

As if they were acting on they own, her eyes felt on Haruki's lips. They seemed so soft and warm... Maybe the tie wasn't a bad thing, after all...

Isuke jolted at her own disturbing thoughts.

 _What am I even thinking? That's enough... Isuke can't stand it anymore!_

Isuke abruptly stood up, breaking the Pocky and effectively putting an end to the game. That she hadn't realized though, was that her sudden movement, performed with more strength than necessary, would cause her to completely lose her balance.

Isuke tripped and literally crashed on Haruki.

The whole class went silent.

Haruki was the first to come back to her senses. She was currently pinned down on the floor by a dazed Isuke-sama, who lied on top of her, and her head ached a bit.

But more importantly...

Haruki went crimson.

Isuke's lips were firmly stuck on hers. She could feel all the softness and the warmth of the girl's mouth, and smell the light perfume of her hair.

Isuke's eyes finally opened. Maybe, Haruki hadn't even felt it, but during the fall, Isuke had headbutted her _really_ hard.

 _What is that idiot's head made of, anyway 3?_

Isuke then decided to look at the situation she was in, and froze.

Haruki was kissing Isuke. Haruki was... No, more accurately, Haruki wasn't kissing her.

 _She_ was kissing Haruki. And practically straddling her, too.

All her thoughts died out.

Meanwhile, Haruki had tried to open her mouth by reflex.

It soon revealed to be a mistake.

Isuke's tongue touched hers and Haruki shuddered felt a surge of heat make its way through her body. The feeling was so pleasant that she let it fill her and rejected the alarms signals her brain was frantically sending to her.

Only to be abruptly brought back to reality when Isuke pulled back, reaching for air.

In her stare, Haruki could read embarrassment, anger, a lot of confusion and something indefinable, a mix of shock and... satisfaction?

Maybe she was more stunned that she thought, after all, because, a second later, the tiny glow in Isuke's eyes had already vanished.

And Haruki was now too concerned with her safety to give it more consideration.

The pink-haired assassin's whole body radiated a bloody aura, murderous enough to make Tokaku stiffen and Haru recoil back.

 _Crap what should I do, Isuke-sama isn't kidding! If I don't say something to calm her, I'm dead..._

So Haruki spoke out of reflex, without thinking to her words.

"H-hey, Isuke-sama, I'm sorry. You know, I thought I could catch you but it all went too fast and... anyway, I'm really sorry Isuke-sama. Think you can forgive me, please?"

She smiled, hoping to appease the girl's boiling anger.

During the short time they had passed together, Haruki had come to the surprising conclusion that her smile had some little impact on her roommate. It didn't work every time, but it seemed her smile cooled Isuke down a bit.

Luck had to be on her side because the assassin's dreadful aura slowly faded away.

Isuke then averted her eyes and sighed.

"How many times will I have to tell you? Stop apologizing to me."

—–—––—––—

"For the last time Haruki, I'm not mad! So don't you dare look all depressed now!"

Isuke resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

They were in their bedroom, sitting on their respective beds.

After the game had ended, they had decided, much to Haru's relief, to return to their bedrooms. Of course, not without a hundred silent threats from Isuke.

But, just when she thought that everything was over, she was stuck with another problem.

During the whole journey, Haruki had been awfully quiet. At first Isuke was pleased by the unusual change but it had soon begun to get on her nerves.

When she needed calm and concentration, Haruki's perpetual rambling about trivial things distracted her and when she wanted the redhead to speak, said girl went silent?

It wasn't like she didn't enjoy tranquillity, quite the contrary. But Isuke still had that sense of unease. Something wasn't right with her roommate. Whenever she scolded her, Haruki would brush it away while apologizing and laughing.

Now, seeing her in that state just made Isuke's discomfort increase. She never wondered how much she would miss Haruki's carefree behavior.

Isuke had to take matters in her own hands: she wasn't the type to mince her words, anyway.

"No matter what you do, it seems like you always manage to irritate me 3."

Haruki's shoulders dropped.

Yeah, she definitely had gone too far. Even if Isuke's earlier statements tended to prove otherwise, the girl's anger was too real. Haruki's regret swirled inside her. If only she knew how to fix things up...

Despite her harsh words, she really liked her roommate. Isuke wasn't trying to be nice out of pity, and didn't bother to fake sympathy when she felt none. Quite the contrary, she harshly criticized her devotion to her family with what others would consider as scorn.

And yet, when she was with her, Haruki felt strangely at peace. A peace she could only feel when she was with Fuyuka, Aki and the rest of her family. Smiling came to her much more naturally, along with her tendencies to tease the girl.

She really liked all of Isuke: her beautiful features, her cute face when she was asleep, her slight blush whenever she was flustered, even her rough comments that were her quirky way to show concern.

Haruki knew her feelings were different from family love. She wanted more. Sagae Haruki selfishly wanted Inukai Isuke to be with her at all time.

That was why she wouldn't let things end like that. She was ready to apologize over and over until she was fully forgiven.

"I was talking about that current attitude of yours, you idiot."

"Huh?"

Haruki gave Isuke a startled look.

"I always tell you to be more selfish, don't I? And you never obey me. So, from now on, just act like Isuke. I've done worse than making people ill at ease and you don't see me moping or asking for forgiveness! You're so overly noble and selfless, it's making Isuke sick! Is it that hard living for yourself?

Why? Why was Isuke acting like nothing happened? She had to right to be furious, so why...

Haruki's eyes opened wide with realization as she looked at her roommate. For once, she could easily read her gaze. Isuke was worried about her. So worried that she didn't bother to hide her feelings like she usually did.

Gratitude overwhelmed Haruki, washing away all her wavering and anguish, and she gave her roommate a true, bright smile.

"Thanks, Isuke-sama! It's okay now, you don't have to worry anymore: I'm back!"

Isuke recoiled back and averted her eyes, slightly blushing.

"Again with the corny lines, you idiot..."

At that time, a part of Haruki's mind which had stayed dormant the whole time suddenly flared up. Her eyes glowed with mischief.

"Isuke-sama! What you told me about being selfish... is it really okay?"

"What—"

Isuke gulped.

Too close. Haruki was _really_ too close. She had somehow managed to close the distance between them without Isuke noticing. Her pulse hastened. At this rate...

"Isuke-sama... about that game, earlier..."

Isuke could felt the girl's hot breath on her lips. She was sure her cheeks were actually perfectly matching her hair's color.

 _That idiot and her incredible physical skills... is she a ninja, or something? So close..._

Haruki leaned closer, causing Isuke to muster her will to not back down.

"Haruki, stop that—you're not—that's not—"

Isuke was quickly silenced when she felt Haruki's lips land on her own in a delicate, almost chaste kiss. This whole scenario was so surreal, it felt so good...

Her heart was still wildly beating but Isuke allowed herself to relax and enjoy the kiss she was sharing with Haruki. She surprisingly found herself wishing for that moment to never end.

But even so...

"Now we're even! A kiss for a kiss, y'know!"

Haruki pulled back, pleased by her own joke. Sure, it was a bit risky but, hey, Isuke-sama herself told her to be more selfish.

Haruki giggled and glanced at her roommate, only to immediately lose track of her thoughts.

There was something strange in Isuke-sama's eyes. She hadn't expected them to look so... _hungry_.

"Haruki... do you really think Isuke is going to let you get away with it 3?"

Isuke kind of bounced in her direction and her survival instinct instantly took control.

Haruki made a dash to the door and escaped in the corridor at full speed.

"I'm sorry, Isuke-sama!"

"Haruki, get back here!"

"Noooo!"

—–—–—–—

Kenmochi Shiena was quietly walking in the hallway. Well as quietly as she could. Having a hug-obsessed roommate didn't exactly help.

Luckily, Takechi Otoya seemed to be quite collected, today, and that wasn't to displease her.

Shiena enjoyed the instant of peace and tranquillity, all too rare with crazy classmates like hers.

Only to be roughly brushed off by what seemed to be two bolts of lightning chasing each other.

"What the..." she muttered in astonishment, trying to get back her fallen glasses.

"Here." A helping hand gave her the precious glasses and put her on her feet.

Shiena turned around to see Otoya's grinning face.

"T-Thanks..." she replied, vaguely wary about the other girl.

Otoya wasn't known for her dedication to others. More for her bullying habits. Even if she was strangely kind with Shiena.

"It's nothing. More importantly, are you alright, Shiena-chan?"

"Yes... I was just surprised, that's all. Anyway, what was that?"

"I saw red and pink hair, so I think it's Sagae-san and Inukai."

"But why were they running at full throttle like that?"

"I do believe Inukai's pursuing Sagae. She looked thirsty, if I can say so."

"Thirsty? You aren't making any sense."

"Oh?"

Otoya drew nearer, eliciting a squeal of surprise from the brunette.

"Why don't you let them be? I'm thirsty too, you know. And Shiena-chan, you're sooo cute..."

Otoya brought her hands together in a 'thanks for the meal' position.

"H-hey, Takechi, wai—"

She was stopped midsentence as Otoya passionately brought their lips together. Little Shiena soon discovered that she really loved those fierce kisses.

And so, Haruki ended up running in Myojo's dorms, an aroused Isuke-sama hot on her heels.

 _Epilogue_

It was a normal day for the assassin known as Azuma Tokaku.

After two hours of draining training and three hours of equally draining class, she finally got to rest at Myojo's cafeteria before Haru arrived with another absurd story she had been told by Nio.

The blue haired assassin headed for the waitress, ready to order her lunch. But, when she looked closer at the food...

Tokaku froze, forcing herself to stay calm and collected. Okay, _it_ wasn't there but maybe because the waitress didn't bring _it_ yet.

To get rid of her anxiety, Tokaku decided to directly ask said waitress.

"Um, excuse me..."

"Yes?" the woman brightly answered.

"Are these all the lunches you propose today? Isn't one missing?"

"About that... I'm sorry but a girl of the Black Class recently complained about having indigestion because of it, and we were forced to throw it away. You might have seen her, she was a really gorgeous girl with pink hair..."

The smiling waitress gently delivered the killing blow on a petrified Tokaku.

"So we don't have curry today. But please don't worry, it's only for a week!"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Finally, my very first fanfic! I was quite nervous in the beginning but it turned out to be really cool writing on Pink Pocky!**

 **I'm already sure you know, but 3 stands for Isuke's hearts :)**

 **Actually, I'm thinking on making this a muti-chaptered fic. The chapters won't necessarily be related one to another, as I want to focus on one, maybe two, pairings per chapter. With Haruki/Isuke as the main focus, of course!**

 **I noticed that my motivation is, well, fickle so please leave a review/comment/whatever you want to say, it will keep my spirits up!**

 **Lastly, if you guys have any idea** ** **about a pairing** , preferably something funny with fluff, please let me know, I'll do my best to write it (Suzu/Kouko will be hard, though).**

 **Hope you enjoyed this fic and see you later!**


	2. Summer - part 1

**damydark:** I'm sorry I couldn't answer you in Spanish but I confess I cannot speak it at all and Google Translate would only make you cry your eyes out, so I'll stick to English for this. Anyway, thank you a lot, my very first reviewer, and I hope you will enjoy this chapter!

 **Nether Pastrana:** Thank you! About Otoya x Shiena, I want to make some of my ideas for them into a whole chapter in the future. I don't really know when, though. Aside from that, yes, I'm a Final Fantasy XIII fan. I know people are divided about this game and its sequels, but I just really love the story and the characters.

 **Fire Lord 626:** I'm very glad you appreciated it and I hope this chapter will please you!

 **foxlichika:** Your wish shall be granted! And I hope to grant it again in the future!

 **Im A Stalker:** As you can see, I've made more. Sorry for the smut though, I don't think I'm writing well enough now and I don't want it to be some cliché lemon. But I think I'll try, someday.

 **Tokaku-Azuma-02:** Don't worry, Azuma won't die because of a lack of curry. I think… And she cannot kill Isuke because Team Sexy wouldn't exist anymore. Anyway, thank you for reviewing!

And a lot of thanks to all the guests who reviewed this. All your comments really encouraged me to keep on writing this second chapter.

Without further ado, please enjoy!

* * *

Summer. Haruki's favorite season, for many reasons.

First of all, summer meant that the temperature would rise. Her family wouldn't need some heating during the night and they could spare money. Moreover, her little siblings would soon be in holidays. Of course, that meant she'd have to come home earlier but thankfully, Fuyuka was now mature enough to look after them during the day so that wouldn't be a problem. Hopefully, Haruki could take them around the city or show them Myojo Academy.

And they weren't the only ones to be excited about incoming shiny days that were to become their everyday-life for the next two months. The school's atmosphere had softened a lot, with everyone acting really carefree, students and teachers alike.

Even her classmates looked more laid-back than ever. Meaning that they would pay even less attention to their teacher.

Mizorogi-sensei had given up long ago on the idea of giving magnificent lectures to his students, instilling them with a thirst for knowledge that would turn them into a nice little class hanging upon his every word.

Instead, he watched with growing despair Otoya and Nio's antics, which, coupled with Chitaru and Hitsugi lovey-dovey whispers, turned every hour into a cheerful mess.

Meanwhile, Sumireko was usually reassuring a scared Mahiru and Shiena kept furiously typing on her laptop.

As for the 'serious' students, namely Kouko, Suzu and Haru, they had mutually agreed to relax and watch their not-so-serious classmates have their fun and royally ignore the school's discipline.

Haruki could only agree with them. She wasn't much of a hard worker in the beginning but now, she had to fight every hour to not let her eyes close and sink into sleep.

Even now, she resisted the urge of lying on her desk until someone woke her up.

 _Nah, that won't work. I'm always the last one to exit the class, because if I let her, Isuke-sama will pass the whole night here._

So if she had to sleep now, Room 2s inhabitants would be found the next morning at the exact same place their classmates had let them.

Haruki yawned. The pleasant thought of a warm afternoon nap was getting over her will and, to prevent that, her mind drifted again to her siblings.

If she managed to get enough money with her secret part-time job, they could go to the zoo together. That would make a pleasant distraction. And, if Haruki thoroughly prepared her invitation, then maybe Isuke-sama would tag along too.

Speaking of Isuke-sama...

"So hot! That damn weather is so hot, I think I could melt at any second! Yeah, Isuke could totally melt, right now! Isn't Myojo supposed to be a high-class school? Don't they have air conditioning here? Or even a fan? Isuke is all sweaty and damp, and I hate that!"

Yes, all the students in Myojo were enjoying the summer. All but one.

Haruki speechlessly looked at her roommate. Isuke's behaviour was completely new to her.

She was... rambling.

Isuke never rambled.

When she was arguing with others, it only took her a few sentences to get her point. Or to completely humiliate her opponent, depending on the bystander's perspective.

That was different. And, as Haruki fearlessly stared at Isuke, she had to admit that it was undeniably cute.

Isuke's speech coupled with her rather childish pout made her look more like a teenage girl and less like the ruthless assassin she was.

Haruki wouldn't have minded spending the other class hours looking at her beautiful roommate. It was far more enjoyable than Mizorogi-sensei's lessons.

But, right now, she had to act: things could go wrong very, very quickly in this class.

An angry, frustrated or even slightly annoyed Isuke-sama was a dangerous Isuke-sama. Haruki still remembered the last time Nio had made a questionable joke about her: Isuke had been two seconds away from, in her own terms, 'plucking out the trash'.

And from her looks, she wasn't only talking about the blonde's ahoge. Nio really had found herself lucky to end the day with her head still on her shoulders.

Now, to ensure that none of them got stabbed or shot or... whatever Isuke did to her victims, Haruki was the best suited.

 _Okay, I can do it. First, obtain her attention. Then, propose something to take her away from the class. Like a walk. And Isuke-sama really loves shopping, so she'll never refuse such a chance! Yes, it's perfect!_

"It looks like you can't stand the heat at all, Isuke-sama."

Isuke stopped her monologue and turned around to face Haruki, her cheeks red with indignation.

"Isuke isn't so weak! I've been more trained to resist the cold, that's all. But, Haruki... How can you even endure such a thing with those heavy clothes of yours?"

"We sure don't have the same definition of heavy, Isuke-sama," Haruki chuckled. "Your clothes are way lighter than what most of the people wear in summer, you know."

 _Yeah, Isuke's attire definitely leaves little room for imagination. Not that I mind, though..._

"Um, Isuke-sama, why don't we go and explore the campus this afternoon?" Haruki quickly added as Isuke had resumed her ranting.

It successfully stopped her, as she gave the redhead a suspicious glare.

"That doesn't seem very appealing. Besides, if I were to follow you outside, wouldn't I just be suffering the heat a lot more? Isuke isn't a masochist, you know 3."

Of course, Haruki expected that. Isuke wouldn't be Isuke if she quietly agreed to everything she was asked, after all.

But it wasn't going to stop her from trying.

"Don't worry, Isuke-sama, you'll cool down with the wind. Actually, it's not so hot outside, and some fresh air will only do good!"

Isuke's face slightly relaxed as she pondered about the offer. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all... Plus, she would be with Haruki. Alone, with that idiot Pocky-eater.

Her mind instantly reacted and filled her thoughts with lots of situations that could be happening, if she decided to tag along and spend some time with her roommate. Strangely, she fought herself quite comfortable with the idea.

Haruki's company was something she had come to appreciate, even if she would never acknowledge it in front of her.

Meanwhile, Haruki seemed to understand that she only had to push Isuke a little more to win the day. It was time for her to use her trump card.

"Isuke-sama! You know that many shops near the campus have air conditioning, right? Why don't we look out for them?"

To Isuke's ears, that sounded like the most beautiful music she had ever heard.

Her hesitations having vanished, she proudly ran her hand through her hair, as Haruki smirked, already knowing the answer. Isuke-sama could be really predictable sometimes.

"I guess I have nothing better to do today. And, also..." Isuke seductively smiled as she closed the distance between them and whispered. "You can be quite convincing when you want, Haruki 3."

Her smiled grew wider as she stood up back straight and noticed the tiny shade of pink spreading across Haruki's face.

That would be her punishment for being an unconscious flirt.

All those winks and smiles and suggestive jokes... Sure, it wasn't as bad as she first expected but since Haruki had begun, she had always been victim of these. And Isuke definitely disliked being at the receiving end.

Today, she was going to have her revenge and tease her to no end.

"One more thing, Haruki: I'm sure you know this already, but Isuke doesn't like being surrounded by noisy brats who keep asking for some stupid ice cream. So if you ever want me to join in, don't invite anyone else."

"I wasn't going to", Haruki coolly replied. "Thinking about it... I didn't know you were so eager to spend some time alone with me, Isuke-sama." Haruki remarked in a matter of fact tone.

"Wah―"

Isuke paused when she saw the redhead's satisfied face.

Of course. That was just one of her usual tricks. And once again, she had fallen for it.

"Umph, if you are done, then we'll meet after class. I need to go and get some clothes."

"O~kay! And, Isuke-sama?"

Isuke sighed and turned around.

"What?"

"You don't have to change anything, you know. I think you're very cute like this."

"..."

Isuke furiously blushed and left the room without a word, pretending not to see Haruki's triumphant grin.

 _Just you wait! I'll definitely get back at you for that!_

—–—–—–—

"What do you think, Isuke-sama? Was it worth getting you out of your room?"

"Even if you're an idiot, Isuke has to admit that your idea wasn't too bad... for once 3."

Isuke's somewhat harsh reaction was lessened by the three bags full of clothing she was currently holding.

Haruki fondly smiled.

Throughout their journey, Isuke had found several shops that looked promising and, with each article she had bought, her mood had brightened to the point that she didn't even bother to hide the satisfied grin that stretched from one of her ears to the other.

Saying that Isuke loved shopping was an euphemism. It nearly obsessed her.

But not necessarily in a negative way.

Haruki had seen compulsive buyers before, ones who were truly addicted and who could be considered as mentally ill. They would buy anything they saw as long as it calmed their urges, and then, they would throw it away since they never had a use for it in the first place.

Isuke was different.

Sure, she was more than capable to visit twelve shops in a row: in fact, she was eagerly looking at it. But she made a point of always looking even at the tiniest details of the clothe she was interested in, and weigh the pros and cons before buying it.

Now, if one would ask Haruki, Isuke looked great no matter what she wore.

She had actually said it out of the blue the first time Isuke had asked for her opinion.

The result had been priceless.

Isuke's mouth had opened, then closed, then opened again, all without a word. Her cheeks a rich, rosy pink, she had finally muttered something close to "unbelievable idiot" with an oddly sweet voice that lacked her usual venom.

Yet, the thing that filled her with the most happiness was her roommate's recent change of behavior. During the afternoon, Isuke had opened up, little by little.

Haruki didn't know if they could be called friends. The line sounded too corny for someone in the assassination business.

But she was sure to be one of the few persons whose presence Isuke was comfortable enough with to let her guard down.

And, only for that had their little trip been a success.

Nevertheless, some of Isuke's actions had startled her quite a bit.

The assassin had been very 'active' in terms of physical contact. As if her sense of personal space had evaporated in thin air.

Haruki had been thrown off-balance several times now.

Like that one time when Isuke had leaned really close to complain about the price of a shirt. While wearing said shirt which was actually _very_ revealing.

Worst was the time when Isuke had asked if the new underwear looked good on her in the middle of the lingerie section. It didn't help that she had been making a seductive pose all along.

At this moment, Haruki had been sure that her heartbeat was so strong that anyone could hear it in the store.

She had to give a rushed answer and pretend to have a sudden stomach ache to escape the sight of Isuke's bare skin clad in a black, frilly bra and a lacy string exposing her perfect curves right in front of her.

Since her first day in room 2, Haruki had acknowledged that Isuke possessed a great body. She was undoubtedly one of the prettiest girls in the Black Class, if not the whole Academy, and Haruki had found herself staring a little too often at her beautiful legs, well-toned abs and gorgeous features.

Isuke's revealing clothes weren't helping either. And those underwear earlier...

"―ki…"

At that moment, Haruki wanted nothing more than to run her hands down Isuke's soft and silky skin.

"―ruki!"

But running out of the shop was definitively the best thing to do. If she hadn't, Haruki was a hundred-percent sure that, never mind the consequences, she would have lunged at Isuke, got on top of her and―

"HARUKI!"

Haruki jolted and snapped back in reality.

Isuke was just in front of her. Looking clearly upset.

"Sorry, Isuke-sama, I was just thinking, that's all," Haruki sheepishly answered.

"Is that so... Sometimes, Isuke really wonders what an idiot like you can be thinking of 3. But, anyway, if it's about sweets, Pocky or your ridiculously huge family, I don't want to listen."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Nothing important, just some... ideas." It was better for everyone that her roommate didn't know what had just crossed her mind.

Isuke sighed.

"The apologies, Haruki. I always, always tell you to stop with that. Why can't you do something so simple?"

"Sorr―erm, I mean, it's an old reflex. Bad habits are hard to throw away, you know?" Haruki chuckled. "But I promise I'll try my best".

"I'll have to believe in you, then…Was that what you were expecting for? Isuke isnt such a corny girl 3. You'll have to do better than that if you want me to trust you," Isuke challengingly added.

Haruki gave her an incredulous look and Isuke had to force herself to suppress the giggle coming up her throat.

It was good not to be the one left mouth-open, for once.

"Leaving that aside, there's something I need to ask you," Isuke said, looking quite reluctant to bring the topic up.

Haruki tilted her head to the side.

"Sure, Isuke-sama. What is it?"

In a second, the assassin seemingly lost most of her previous energy.

"I never thought I would say that one day, but shopping is quite… tiring," she grumbled. "My feet are itching, I'm sweating and I feel all sticky. So, I want to take a break."

Isuke glanced at the redhead next to her.

"Do you know any place we could rest? You've wandered around here quite a lot, right? Even a bench is fine, as long as we are protected from the sun."

Haruki actually didn't have to search for long: she knew the right place to relax after an effort. In fact, she was actually planning to bring Isuke there once they'd have finished shopping.

"No problem, let's go! Just follow me, Isuke-sama, you won't be disappointed! "

Isuke arched her eyebrows.

"You're pretty confident, aren't you? Fine, show me the way."

* * *

 **Author's note: I'm sorry it turned out into such a long wait but I had important exams to pass (basically, the ones which will decide of my future studies for at least three years, so…) and one huge writer's block.**

 **I couldn't write a thing for days. That was awful.**

 **About the good news: chapter 2 is finally done. I'm already working on chapter 3 and 4, so hopefully, the update will be quicker than last time.**

 **I'm a slow writer though, so please keep that in mind. Thanks again and see you next time!**


	3. Summer - part 2

**Nether Pastrana:** If you wanted another Isuki chapter, here you go!

 **Fire lord 626:** I don't know if this will be as awesome as the previous chapters but I hope you'll like it!

 **JohnDevlin:** If you enjoyed it, it means I've reached my goal then.

 **Luffy19:** Indeed, a cute couple. As for Haruki confessing to Isuke... how can you know if it won't be the other way around? : D

 **Haruki x Insuke:** ME TOO!

 **8:** The shortest pseudo I've ever seen... Anyway, you too seem to consider Haruki as the active one in their relationship, but don't underestimate Isuke-sama!

 **Gin:** Thanks for the wait, here it is!

 **Tokaku-Azuma-0** 2: I'm glad you wanted to know what happens next. I hope it will be up to your expectations.

As always, thanks to all the guests who reviewed this. It's really rewarding!

On with the show!

* * *

For the second time in the day, Isuke was pleasantly surprised.

Haruki's offer had been a nice distraction and, sure, that little jaunt was rewarding.

But, and it was quite shameful for her to admit it, she couldn't help being a bit reluctant when the redhead was proudly leading her through the streets.

Haruki was cheerful and laid-back to say the least. She loved crowded spaces like the working-class areas and their markets, where everybody knew and called out to each other without embarrassment. These warm and noisy backgrounds filled with life suited her perfectly.

If one had asked Isuke, she would certainly have answered that she hated those places where people crammed together like pigs. With such a gap in their preferences, she wouldn't have been surprised to end up in a construction site. Or in some third-rate café.

Isuke never went to cafés. It wasn't like she hated the thought of resting a little to let go of some stress while having a drink. She just wanted to avoid the usual bunch of morons to hoot and leer at her, something she got each and every time.

Isuke couldn't even remember how many of them she had actually sent to the hospital to heal both their shattered bodies and masculine pride.

Well, at least, she provided some job in the emergency section. Especially for broken arms and ribs.

That was why she had some bad foreboding while following her roommate down the pedestrian streets, the narrow alleys, and finally...

Isuke's eyes got wide.

Haruki had really exceeded her expectations.

They were in a park far from the city centre, decorated by several flower beds and dozens of trees forming a small forest. A little further, Isuke took a glimpse of children's playgrounds with swings, sandboxes and trampolines.

Most of the people present were children walking with their parents.

The place gave off a calm and warm atmosphere.

Haruki led Isuke to one of the nearest benches. It was shielded from the sun thanks to a great oak's branches and a light wind could be felt blowing from the park's entrance.

As soon as she sat, Isuke let out a sigh of contentment. Until know, she hadn't realized how her heavy bags were taking a toll on her ankles, after hours spent walking at a fast pace with high-heels. High-heels she had decided to wear just for the occasion.

One way or another, this was Haruki's fault.

 _But_ , Isuke admitted while stretching her legs to help her blood circulate, _I guess I can't be mad at her. This place is so peaceful and quiet... Isuke could probably take a nap right now 3._

It was like fate had decided to make up for having spent several months in the hectic atmosphere of the Black Class, coping with a dozen of assassins, some of whom had a very unnerving penchant for mischief.

 _But to be able to have a break thanks to that annoying, tiresome, beautiful Pocky eater... This idiot is full of surprises!_

 _...Wait. Beautiful...?_

Isuke suspiciously stared at Haruki, as if she had been the one to put that embarrassing thought in her head. Completely unaware of her neighbour's attitude, Haruki was busy enjoying the breeze as it made its way on her skin and through her hair.

 _Isuke isn't so dumb she cannot acknowledge someone who looks good. Of course, nobody can look as good as me 3. But why is watching this idiot making me feel like this?_

"Hey, Isuke-sama, are you alright?" Haruki inquired, having finally noticed the way Isuke was looking at her.

 _No good, time to divert her attention..._ "Y-yes, I was just admiring the view... It's splendid," she hastily said.

The assassin realized she was starting to blush at the thought of what she had just said, and more importantly, what she was going to say. She hadn't even uttered a single word that her cheeks were already burning. But there was no going back now.

"Uh, Haruki..." she stammered, words getting stuck in her throat.

"Yes?"

"I-I..."

Isuke couldn't keep her eyes of the golden orbs intensely staring at her. Words escaped her lips before she could react and, when she spoke, it was in an almost timid, very unlike 'Isuke-sama' fashion:

"T-thank you, Haruki... for today, I mean. I... really enjoyed it."

And with that, Isuke snapped back to her usual personality.

She was pretty sure she couldn't have felt more embarrassed even if she wanted to. What she had just said was so stupid, so corny, so... so _cliché_!

Isuke opened her eyes (why did she close them, anyway?) only to look at a seemingly thunderstruck, dumbfounded Haruki.

The redhead's brain was unable to give a consistent explanation as it kept replaying the scene in her head over and over.

The only thing Haruki knew was that her lips were stretching upward in a grin she couldn't repress.

"Hey... thank you too, Isuke-sama. Just hearing you say it makes me real happy, you know?"

Haruki honestly replied as gave her what Isuke was sure to be the brightest smile she had ever seen.

 _That idiot, saying something so flirty without shame... Isuke can't believe it!_ She was positively certain that the tips of her ears couldn't get redder now. _Even though this isn't the first time I've seen her smile, why do I react this way? It was just so warm and soft..._

Seeing her roommate being obviously distracted, Haruki took her chance and leaned forward until she was millimetres away from the assassin's ear.

"Besides, I think the timid Isuke-sama I just met is way too adorable. I really want to see her more often in the future."

Apparently, she could get redder.

 _That idiot, that huge idiot! Saying something so bold without shame... Isuke can't believe it! Isn't being a permanent flirt enough?_ Isuke wanted to pull out her hair and bury herself in the ground at the same time. _Isuke was supposed to be the one to mess with her today, so why? Why does my heart beat faster every time I meet her eyes?_

 _Do I want her to look at me? Am I..._ ― _?_

She couldn't say it. The thought only froze her.

 _No. Fucking. Way!_

'That thing' was for weaklings. It was an emotion an assassin didn't need, one he was encouraged to throw away as soon as possible.

'That thing' was for people who lived in the light of day. It could only happen between weak people who believed in crap like justice, hope and forgiveness.

Like that girl. Ichinose Haru.

Isuke shook her head.

She had nothing, absolutely _nothing_ , in common with the target. Except scars.

The only bond between them was a daily reminder of the kind of world they lived in.

But Isuke knew she was capable of expressing 'it'. Her Papa and Mama were the perfect example.

It was just inconceivable that 'it' could be directed toward another person than her parents and take such a form.

Haruki wasn't weak. Isuke was sure of it. She acted clumsy, cheerful and laid-back at times, but when she had grabbed her during her first encounter, Isuke had realized one thing.

Haruki was a killer. And she was probably even more skilled than her in bare fight.

That was why Isuke had showed some interest in her the days after. She wanted to see how long the girl could keep her facade in a class full of assassins.

But, as the days turned into weeks, Isuke slowly came to accept that that was Haruki's true personality. She was too honest to fake kindness, too accommodating to be angered by Isuke's rebukes and too persistent to be turned down.

And Isuke's interest only increased with the time. To finally blossom into…

 _Love?_

The word echoed in Isuke's empty mind.

She couldn't accept it. But she couldn't deny it either.

Isuke turned her head.

The reason of her inner turmoil was just one meter away looking at the sky. Her head was turned upward, her golden eyes trying to look at the clouds through the tree's branches, while her hair slightly brushed by the wind were draping her perfect body in crimson. She was beautiful.

Isuke felt her heartbeat slow down and her raging emotions soften. It almost made her laugh. In all the soapy movies she has been forced to watch (her Papa could be very tenacious), the lover was thrown in disarray by the sight of his/her beloved. Here, simply watching Haruki was enough to clear her mind of all her confusion and fear.

Isuke relaxed and closed her eyes, simply enjoying the moment she was sharing with Haruki.

It was peaceful, quiet and incredibly soothing.

Until something nudged her ribs.

"Hey, Isuke-sama…"

Isuke didn't bother to open her eyes.

"Yes?"

"What is your favourite flavour?"

"…flavour?"

She could almost see Haruki's smile radiating its warmth through her closed eyelids.

"What do you think I'm speaking about?"

 _Um...Shampoo, maybe? Of course, there's another answer I could give you. If only you'd let me taste your lips first…_

"I mean ice cream flavour."

That prompted Isuke to open a defiant eye.

"I don't eat ice cream. It has poor quality taste and you've eaten it in two minutes."

"But it's perfect when it's too hot! You know, when you have that cold sensation going down your throat, and you like it because it's cold and you're hot, and it feels soooo refreshing!" Haruki argued back with her usual enthusiasm, the one she usually showed about sweets and Pocky.

There was nothing Isuke could say. Partly because Haruki's enthusiasm was contagious and partly because she was right. Isuke still preferred cold drinks, but an ice cream would be welcomed right now.

"Well, I guess lemon and strawberry are my favourites, then," Isuke replied, hoping the conversation to end soon so she could return to her promising nap.

 _And to all your phantasms about her body, right 3?_ the cynical, and rather truthful, part of her brain added.

 _Shut up_ , Isuke snarled to her dissenting thoughts. It was like some mini, demon-winged Eisuke was floating above her shoulder, ready to whisper some particularly unwanted and embarrassing truths.

All in all, her usual Mama.

 _By the way, you should ask for her personal tastes. The more you know each other the better, don't you think?_

 _But_ ―

 _It will sure hurt to ask the girl you're interested in about ice cream._

 _... I hate it when you're being smart._

Well, she could at least give it a try.

"So, what's your favourite, anyway?"

Haruki practically beamed at her. Isuke making an effort to carry on with the conversation wasn't something common.

"I love raspberry and vanilla! Black currant isn't bad either. Thinking about it, maybe rum raisin―"

"Ok, ok, I get it!" Isuke interrupted. "But why are you asking me this?"

Haruki only smiled.

"Just wait here for a sec, Isuke-sama. I'll be right back."

And, too quick for her roommate to say anything, Haruki stood up and sprinted through the park, leaving a fazed Isuke trying to process just what exactly had happened.

The slight anxiety she felt looking over Haruki's disappearing back surprised her.

Although Isuke had reluctantly come to acknowledge that she was definitely feeling _something_ for Haruki, it would be ridiculous to end all worked up over such a small thing...right?

After all, they were in a park for children. Haruki wasn't going to do something reckless.

Probably.

 _Why would I be worried? That idiot is an assassin who can kill almost anyone with her bare hands. There's nothing to fear._

 _Actually...,_ and Isuke chuckled at the idea, _Isuke should be more concerned about the poor, random guy who will try to molest her 3._

Reenacting the scene in her head gave her surprisingly less fun than expected. Instead, a burning anger slowly arose in her stomach.

Without thinking, Isuke began to play with her belt, her fingers dangerously close to her knuckle knife.

If someone tried to hurt Haruki... then maybe she could give them a little visit to explain that gentlemen definitely shouldn't assault a woman. She would make sure they remembered it for the rest of their lives.

If they survived, of course.

"Isuke-samaaa!"

Isuke's head, previously lowered to glare at her feet, rose at the sound of that voice.

Haruki was back in front of her, slightly panting, and giving her the same smile that gave Isuke goosebumps. In her hands were two cornets seemingly made of wafer. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that Haruki was holding two double scoops of sorbet.

Before Isuke could even comment on the fact that two ice creams that size were a bit too much for one girl, and that if she had wanted them that badly, then she should've asked from the beginning, Haruki practically shoved the one in her left hand under Isuke's nose.

"Here, Isuke-sama, for you!" she cheerily said.

Isuke looked at Haruki. Then, at the ice cream. Then, back at Haruki.

"Huh?"

She would have smacked herself right now for letting out such a dumb sound, hadn't she been completely struck by Haruki's proposal.

"It's yours, Isuke-sama! Better eat it before it melts, right?" Haruki grinned and winked at her currently frozen roommate.

"You're... giving it to me?" Isuke blinked, as if unsure of what to do or say next.

Sometimes, Haruki really couldn't comprehend that girl.

"Of course! I mean, it's a present, right?"

 _A present..._ The word echoed in Isuke's mind.

She wasn't used to presents. Her Papa and Mama would usually give her some for her birthday, and rather expensive ones, but most of the time, she would go out and buy what she wanted herself.

That was different. It wasn't a gift from her parents, nor a reward for a particularly successful murder attempt.

A present. That notion gave her a warm feeling, something different from the attraction toward Haruki.

 _Is that... gratitude?_ Isuke mused. It felt new to her, and not unpleasant.

Strangely, she didn't dislike the idea.

"W-well then, if you offer it to me... T-thank you..." Isuke mumbled as she slowly extended her hands toward the ice cream.

Haruki gave it to her, not bothering to hide her radiant smile. Isuke looked so cute at the moment, she would (almost) have killed for a camera.

Just to take one picture of the ruthless assassin, blushing and taking a timid bite of her cone.

"Do you like it, Isuke-sama? It's strawberry. They didn't have lemon at the shop." Haruki explained as she sat and happily dug into her own sorbet.

"...no problem. It's good." Isuke quietly answered.

"Glad you like it!" Haruki grinned and shivered for a second at the cold sensation that passed down her throat.

The two girls ate in silence, not wanting to waste this peaceful moment, Isuke openly gazing at Haruki with a mix of amusement and appreciation. It seemed that the girl's presence was really softening her, after all.

She had already finished her first scoop of ice and, despite her former protests, was eagerly attacking the second, when Isuke remembered the purpose of their expedition.

Wasn't she supposed to tease Haruki as much as possible to make up for her being a permanent flirt?

Instead, Haruki had wrapped her around her finger with little to no problems. Sure, some moments were rewarding, like when she had practically given her a nosebleed with her underwear.

Isuke inwardly giggled. Watching the usually relaxed Haruki lose her composure had been priceless.

But that wasn't enough. No, not nearly enough.

They could return to that shop, Isuke wondered. This time, she would pick something even more revealing and, maybe would she unfortunately trip on her shoes, fall on Haruki and...

 _No, that won't work. Well, it could possibly work, seen how she had reacted the first time. But it's lacking originality. Isuke likes to try new things 3._

Her sight fell on Haruki's ice cream, which was steadily disappearing under the girl's large bites.

Isuke grinned as an idea took form in her mind.

Perfect. Time to turn the tables.

"Hey, Haruki..." Isuke's low, demanding voice caused Haruki to look up.

"Your ice cream looks reaaally good. You won't mind if I taste it too, right?"

"Eh―"

It all happened before Haruki could even end her sentence.

Isuke all but dived at the ice cream, pulling herself against Haruki's arm.

She was a professional. There was no way she would fail such a simple action.

And so, Isuke gracefully took a bite of raspberries _right_ where Haruki's lips had been the second before.

Having reached her goal, Isuke straightened to lock eyes with the girl, admiring her work.

No reaction.

There was nothing on Haruki's face, except for utter shock and disbelief.

Then, her brain finally came to accept what had happened right under her eyes.

Deep crimson engulfed her face as she stared at the beautiful assassin, not capable to express a coherent thought.

Things only got worse when Isuke deliberately licked her lips, slowing down the action as much as possible, and grinning expectantly at her.

By this time, Haruki was certain that one could no longer tell the difference between her face and hair.

"...It was good. Not as good as strawberries, of course, but good. Isuke is satisfied 3."

Haruki struggled to keep her head up and sent a look to the girl sitting across the bench, only to be met by what had to be the most candid expression Isuke had ever shown.

"I-Isuke-sama... you..."

Isuke tilted her head to the side, the perfect image of innocence.

"What is it?"

Haruki gulped.

"You just, um... y'know... I mean―"

"Come on, if you don't eat it, it's going to melt," Isuke interrupted, pointing at the redhead's hands.

And she was right.

Maybe it was because of her body heat abruptly rising, but her ice was already turning into drops of liquid ready to fall on the ground.

"... O-okay..."

Haruki didn't press the subject further and resumed eating.

She wasn't in condition to argue. Right now, the best thing to do was to try and push the memories back in the farthest corner of her mind...

She gave up after ten seconds, blushing heavily.

"Oh, right", Isuke's eyes lit up as if she had suddenly remembered something, "I've heard that there's an indoor pool at Myojo. It's said to be first-class, and thus, people have to reserve in advance but it doesn't apply to the Black Class. Why don't we go and take a dip?"

Unfortunately, Isuke's enthusiasm was short-lived as she saw a flash of regret pass through Haruki's eyes.

It was unsettling. When she was with her, Haruki had always been smiling and laughing.

It was the first time she showed her such a downcast face.

And Isuke immediately disliked it.

 _This is wrong. You're not supposed to be like that. You're supposed to be a stupid, fun-loving Pocky eater who keeps saying idiotic stuff about happiness, friendship and how life is great, so don't you dare look like that!_

It really ticked her off. So Isuke reacted, in her typical Isuke way.

"What's with the gloomy look? Isuke deigned to ask you out and you're looking like someone just rolled over your puppy. Guys would kill to have such a chance, you know 3?"

"I don't have a swimsuit right now, Isuke-sama," Haruki quietly replied.

Isuke blinked.

She wasn't sure if she had heard well. Even someone as poor as Haruki would have such a basic thing... right?

"What are you talking about? You just need to go and buy one―"

"I can't."

Isuke's fists tightened as she flashed her usual venomous smile.

"Isuke don't like riddles 3. So, you tell me. Or I'll make you spit it out."

Haruki's voice was unnaturally soft as she spoke.

"Isuke-sama. I don't have enough money to buy a swimsuit. That's all."

Her eyebrows furrowed. Maybe that answer wasn't enough for Isuke to understand her actual situation.

"You see, I've been... short on cash lately. With mum's operation, my siblings' trip for schoolyear's end, the heating bill, all that stuff, we only have some thousands yens left until next month. And my family needs to eat, so I can't waste money on something like that. Sorry Isuke-sama," she added, a tinge of regret lingering in her voice.

But Isuke was too taken aback to understand it.

Haruki had never looked so serious and determined before. It was almost...

 _...like an assassin_ , she suddenly came to realize, and her stomach started to ache.

No doubt the girl had been harboring that expression when she was taking lives to meet her family's needs.

 _Yeah, it's must look useless to you, spending money like that..._ Isuke mused.

She unconsciously ducked her head. And her gaze fell upon the ice cream she had yet to finish.

Her ice cream.

Which had been paid by...

Isuke's eyes widened. In the same time, anger and guilt swirled inside her, a dangerous mix of feelings ready to explode.

 _That... that absolute idiot! Why are you even thinking? You have so little money, and your stupidly large family to support, and you would waste it_ _for―_

 _For a present. For you,_ Eisuke's voice coldly remained her.

* * *

"Um, Isuke-sama?" Haruki worriedly eyed her roommate.

Isuke had been silent for a while now.

Haruki tried again, afraid to have irked her with her complaints about money.

"Hey, Isuke-sama, I'm sorry I've bothered you with all that. Maybe, next month―"

"Stop with the apologies", the pink-haired assassin broke in with an equal voice. "I don't mind. In the other hand..."

Isuke got up to her feet and lazily stretched her body.

"...there's one more shop I want to go. Even if you won't have one doesn't mean Isuke can't get her own, right 3?"

Isuke turned toward Haruki with a playful smirk.

"We're going to the swimsuit store, so don't slow me down!"

"Got it, Isuke-sama!" Haruki nodded with relief.

Isuke was finally back to normal.

 _In the end, I guess she just wanted a new swimsuit. That's Isuke-sama for you!_ Haruki inwardly chuckled.

She couldn't have been further from the truth.

* * *

 **Well, this chapter was longer than expected. And it's not even the end!**

 **Thanks again to all the people who read this story, I hope you had a good time with Haruki and Isuke's antics.**

 **By the way, I will gladly answer to any review and PM so please, don't hesitate to let one!**

 **See you next time !**


End file.
